Greek Government Plan to Give Life to Uninhabited Aegean Islets

The General Secretariat of Aegean and Island Policy announced in parliament a draft plan to make uninhabited Aegean islets habitable and offer incentives to that effect.

The prospect includes 28 islets in the eastern Aegean, the sovereignty of which is often disputed by Turkey. The plan is to create the proper infrastructure for economic activity that would give incentive to Greeks to move there.

So far the project is to develop small-scale projects so the islands become habitable and build the infrastructure for activities such as observation and monitoring of natural phenomena, research and eco tourism.

Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Nektarios Santorinios said in parliament that there have been several meetings between his ministry, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of National Defense to proceed with the project. The funding of the project will be mainly by European Union funds.

According to Santorinios, the government is seeking a partner for this national project to become part of the Strategic program “Interreg Greece-Cyprus 2014-2020,” which is funded by the NSRF.

So far the government has proceeded with the reconstruction outposts on islets and the reinforcement of permanent garrisons, so that the Greek presence is visible. The outpost of the islet of Panagia in the cluster of Oinousses has been reinforced, both in terms of size of the guard (which is permanent now) and in terms of infrastructure.

Also, in the same context, beacons will be placed on the uninhabited islets and infrastructures for fishermen and shepherds will be built.